Open thread: House Speaker vote; Update: Boehner wins

posted at 12:11 pm on January 3, 2013 by Ed Morrissey

Under normal circumstances, the vote for Speaker of the House would be a footnote to the opening day of a new Congressional session — but these aren’t normal circumstances. There has been some grassroots effort to unseat John Boehner in today’s vote, or at least to pressure him into some concessions to conservatives who have felt rejected over the fiscal-cliff negotiations. It may take as few as 17 dissident Republicans to force Boehner to campaign for his seat:

Rep. John Boehner is running unopposed to keep his job as House speaker for a second term, but the Ohio Republican’s reelection bid – the first vote of the 113th Congress, which convenes on Thursday – is nonetheless a churn of rumor and controversy.

It would take just 17 GOP dissenters to force a second ballot in Thursday’s 12:45 p.m. voice vote and force, perhaps, Boehner to withdraw his candidacy for reelection as speaker.

“It’s not going to happen,” says Michael Steel, a spokesman for Mr. Boehner, responding to such reports in an e-mail.

Here’s the rub: while there has been considerable dissatisfaction over the way Boehner has handled his job, there hasn’t been any public challenge to his speakership. No one has publicly declared him/herself a candidate for the job. Nor has anyone demonstrated any real inclination to take it, either by word or deed, as Ben Howe commented earlier on Twitter:

We shouldn’t have to guess who a new leader will be.It should be obvious by their … you know … leadership.

Honestly, who would want the job? They’d have a weak hand in every negotiation, and would have to somehow corral the entire fractious caucus to get anything done. The obvious choice would be Cantor, but he owes his House Majority Leader position to Boehner and hasn’t expressed any interest at all in the job. No one else would be likely to get the votes.

I’d guess that we may see two or three ballots on the question, just to press Boehner into a hard commitment to force normal order in the 113th, a pledge he renewed this week. Unless a leader rises to represent the dissenters, though, the vote will eventually go Boehner’s way.

Update: If there was going to be a serious challenge, one could expect the momentum to come from the conservative Republican Study Committee. As our colleague Guy Benson noted, though, it sounds as though they’ve achieved some accommodation with Boehner:

RSC blasts out release touting reforms to House rules they helped secure.Not exactly the behavior of a group prepping to oust a Speaker…

Update: Interestingly, both Price and Schweikert — who have openly opposed Boehner of late — voted to make him Speaker.

Update: As I suspected, Boehner won on the first ballot, and managed to do better than the bare-majority 218, too. Not that Boehner actually needed 218 votes to win — he only needed a majority of votes cast for any candidate, as the Congressional Research Service explained a year ago in a report, emphasis mine:

Each new House elects a Speaker by roll call vote when it first convenes. Customarily, the conference of each major party nominates a candidate whose name is placed in nomination. Members normally vote for the candidate of their own party conference, but may vote for any individual, whether nominated or not. To be elected, a candidate must receive an absolute majority of all the votes cast for individuals. This number may be less than a majority (now 218) of the full membership of the House, because of vacancies, absentees, or members voting “present.”

It appears that Boehner had about a 20-vote cushion after accounting for various protest votes, so in effect it wasn’t even really close.

A conservative group aiming to oust John Boehner as speaker of the House said on Wednesday that they have commitments from enough Republicans in Congress to deliver the political surprise of the year and deny the Ohio Republican another two years with the speaker’s gavel.

“I have confirmed with a group of congressmen that Speaker Boehner will not be elected speaker tomorrow,” Ron Meyer of the group American Majority Action wrote in an email Wednesday evening. “He will either resign or be forced out tomorrow.”

In a phone interview with The Daily Caller, Meyer said “more than 20” Republicans have told his group they won’t vote for Boehner during elections Thursday. American Majority Action is a conservative organization based in Virginia that is active in the tea party movement. It is run by Ned Ryun, the son of former Republican Rep. Jim Ryun of Kansas.

I’m no fan of Boehner, but be careful what you ask for. The whole house votes for speaker, not just the caucus. If the Republicans split, we could end up with something far worse. Can you say Speaker Pelosi?

What?? You mean to tell me that the BREATHLESS, RED-HOT SCOOP [**MUST CREDIT BREITBART**] that Boehner was going to be overturned was, in fact, actually just a piece of BS hype driven by one of the most corrupt Tea Party groups (American Majority for Action) seeking to get its name in the press and extend its influence?

I’m no fan of Boehner, but be careful what you ask for. The whole house votes for speaker, not just the caucus. If the Republicans split, we could end up with something far worse. Can you say Speaker Pelosi?

simkeith on January 3, 2013 at 12:16 PM

Have to have a complete majority to become speaker, can’t win with just a plurality. So unless some R’s break and vote for Pelosi, she won’t be speaker.

I’m no fan of Boehner, but be careful what you ask for. The whole house votes for speaker, not just the caucus. If the Republicans split, we could end up with something far worse. Can you say Speaker Pelosi?

Not a danger, I mean not unless some GOP representatives do crazy crazy sh*t and vote for Pelosi. The rules of the House dictate that a Speaker cannot be selected by a plurality (absent a specific preceding resolution passed by the House, good for that term only), but rather must be a majority. In ye olden days, that meant that there would sometimes be multiple ballots, with candidates withdrawing and their votes going to a remaining competitor.

The dhims won’t vote for anyone that Pelosi thinks is a strong leader. They need a weakling like Boehner in order to continue the disenchantment with the Rs and have a chance to win back the House in 2014.

Complacency, inaction and apathy have consequences and the country is going to feel more pain for much longer than they think. Obozo will become the First Amerikan King in 2016.

Adhere to the Constitution
For too long, Congress has ignored the proper limits imposed by the Constitution on the federal government. Further, it has too often drafted unclear and muddled laws, leaving to an unelected judiciary the power to interpret what the law means and by what authority the law stands. This lack of respect for the clear Constitutional limits and authorities has allowed Congress to create ineffective and costly programs that add to the massive deficit year after year. We will require each bill moving through Congress to include a clause citing the specific constitutional authority upon which the bill is justified.

Promise Fulfilled This promise was fulfilled through requirements added to the Rules of the House of Representatives, adopted on January 5, 2011.

Advance Legislative Issues One at a Time
We will end the practice of packaging unpopular bills with “must-pass” legislation to circumvent the will of the American people. Instead, we will advance major legislation one issue at a time.

If you plan to depose Boehner, fine. Formulate a plan and have someone in mind before you make your move. No more of this ad-hoc, it-will-all-turn-out-ok-because-we-are-the-voice-of-the-people BS. Have.A.Gods-blessed.PLAN!

I doubt Boehner is that excited about the job himself. So IMHO that works in his favor. Hopefully he’s over the day he got the gavel and he started crying at the notion that he, his father’s son, of humble beginnings, rose to become Speaker of the House. Hopefully he’s gained some perspective and will focus, and do SOMETHING about our fiscal situation.

Would nothing change? Well, we’ll never freaking know because our side never fights! Boehner attacks conservatives in Republican committees with more zeal than he does a corrupt political party called Democrat!

He wanted 1.6 trillion; Boehner was willing to give 800 billion; and the deal only gave $600 billion. Obama could have let all the tax rates revert if he wanted to. He is the one who caved not Boehner.

jerryofva on January 3, 2013 at 12:01 PM

Let’s face it, Boehner is not the biggest problem we have. Reid has turned our system of governence on its head with no budgets and Obama is a radical community organinzing idealogogue that will get away with as much as his old hippie cohorts will help him achieve. Our media is going to report every story to defeat repub loyalty where ever they can. Yes, our fellow Americans on the left are as stupid as we think they are. Maybe we ought to dial it back a bit and get some perspective. We are in a world of hurt but its not because of John Boehner.

It p!$$es me off how the lsm is only calling out the house for being dysfunctional and not producing bills…. how about a Senate that hasn’t passed a budget or anything that the house as brought over for a vote

It p!$$es me off how the lsm is only calling out the house for being dysfunctional and not producing bills…. how about a Senate that hasn’t passed a budget or anything that the house as brought over for a vote

RINOs rule. Sinecures duly ptotected. Nothing changes as we sleepwalk to national ruin.

I notice that Nancy Pelosi made another vicious libel against the GOP today. As usual, no response from anybody in the GOP. No counter-attack. No attack. Nothing. Self-loathing, sleepwalking RINOs rule. Nothing changes. Onward to ruin.

Update: If there was going to be a serious challenge, one could expect the momentum to come from the conservative Republican Study Committee. As our colleague Guy Benson noted, though, it sounds as though they’ve achieved some accommodation with Boehner:

RINOs rule. Sinecures duly ptotected. Nothing changes as we sleepwalk to national ruin.

I notice that Nancy Pelosi made another vicious libel against the GOP today. As usual, no response from anybody in the GOP. No counter-attack. No attack. Nothing. Self-loathing, sleepwalking RINOs rule. Nothing changes. Onward to ruin.

rrpjr on January 3, 2013 at 12:34 PM

Yep. The freaking party of nothing. The GOP is the freaking party of absolutely nothing.

This is the thinking, the mentality that has destroyed America. The Speaker of the House is the most powerful man in America. Read the US Constitution sometime. All spending appropriations MUST originate in the HOUSE. The Speaker of the House dictates what does and does not come to the floor in the House.

For the love of God, didn’t any of you learn from Nancy Pelosi? During her tenure as Speaker of the House she got EVERYTHING she wanted. She got it because she understood the most primal fundamental rule in politics.

He who has the gold, makes the RULES. In the United States of America, under the United States Constitution, it is the Speaker of the House who makes the Rules, because it is the Speaker of the House who controls the purse strings. Remember, All spending appropriations MUST originate in the HOUSE.

Currently we are, thanks to Harry Reid, no authorized Federal Budget. As a consequence, the Federal Government is operating off a continuing Resolution. Never in American History has the Speak of the House had so much power.

Because of Harry Reid’s actions the Speaker of the House can demand ANYTHING he want’s and get it. Because unlike any other time in US History, the Speaker of the House can completely totally shut down the United States Federal Government.

Because their is no Federal Budget all the Speaker of the House has to do is refuse to allow the Continuing Resolution to come to the house floor. The Government then shuts down and there isn’t a damned thing that the Senate, the POTUS the Supreme Court or the House can do to start it back up again until the Speaker of the House say start it back up.

This is how you play hardball for keeps. This is why Bonehead Boehner is a traitor and a coward. He could demand ANYTHING and get it. Demand a Flat tax, no flax tax, no money for anyone. No spending cuts, let’s see who can stand in the fire longer. The Speaker of the House could shut the Government down for 1 full year. Nobody would get paid during that time.

Win in DC with Boehner, continue to lose grassroots and rank & file support everywhere else. DO they EVER want to win another national election? Or have ANY shot at getting the Senate? They are doing everything possible to assure that WON’T happen.

It p!$$es me off how the lsm is only calling out the house for being dysfunctional and not producing bills…. how about a Senate that hasn’t passed a budget or anything that the house as brought over for a vote

Arrrgghh

cmsinaz on January 3, 2013 at 12:33 PM

While Boehner is a problem along with all his fellow travelers over there, the media is the biggest problem we have.

How do you think all those low information voters remain low information? This is a media that has pretty much successfully covered up Benghazi and F&F. A dry, dull fiscal issue is not going to be a problem.

Until we can resolve the media’s control on information getting out, then we really are just spinning our tires because most people won’t have a clue what’s going on out there and the corrupt/spineless/stupid will continue to thrive.

I’m no fan of Boehner, but be careful what you ask for. The whole house votes for speaker, not just the caucus. If the Republicans split, we could end up with something far worse. Can you say Speaker Pelosi?

simkeith on January 3, 2013 at 12:16 PM

Aren’t you tired of having to compromise your beliefs?
Aren’t you tired of voting for the worst of two evils?
Aren’t you tired of voting for “anybody but”?

I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Republicans this far out of touch with their base. They don’t care one iota about what we think. I’ve never been a third party guy but that time is very near. I don’t think I can vote Republican again.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Republicans this far out of touch with their base. They don’t care one iota about what we think. I’ve never been a third party guy but that time is very near. I don’t think I can vote Republican again.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Republicans this far out of touch with their base. They don’t care one iota about what we think. I’ve never been a third party guy but that time is very near. I don’t think I can vote Republican again.

Big Orange on January 3, 2013 at 12:48 PM

I hear you.

The foundation of representative democracy is thatthe representatives exercise the will of the represented.

On issue after issue, those of us forced to vote GOP due to Dem insanity are being ignored.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Republicans this far out of touch with their base. They don’t care one iota about what we think. I’ve never been a third party guy but that time is very near. I don’t think I can vote Republican again.

Big Orange on January 3, 2013 at 12:48 PM

We kind of knew this going in when Romney won the nomination. None of us here (at least) wanted him and knew that it was going to be more of the same or Obama.

The party needs to be purged or a third party needs to be considered or it’s just going to be more of the same cr*p.